Scholarship Opportunities for Pakistani Students

Pursuing a degree can be a major step to boost up your career. Some people would wish to obtain their Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate/PhD degree overseas, some like to stay in their home country, depending on what kind of experience people seek. Although, studying abroad may seem more expensive than studying at domestically – as you not only need to pay for tuition fees and books, but also for residential and travel costs – it doesn’t always mean you need to worry about your financial condition. There are a number of scholarships for you, Pakistanis, to study either domestically or abroad – wherever you wish to pursue your studies.

US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD Scholarship Program

In June 2015, the United States and Pakistan established an Education, Science and Technology Working Group (ESTWG) under the Bilateral Strategic Dialogue. The two leaders of the countries, at that time, discussed the proposal to establish US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor with the intention to achieve the ambitious priority targets of developing high level human capital envisioned in Pakistan’s policy document Vision 2025. The United States has agreed to support Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen its university system by jointly increasing the number of Pakistani faculty who obtain their PhD in US universities.

Through the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD Scholarship Program, Pakistani students / professionals are offered to study in any university at the US, especially in one of the following fields of study: Arts and Humanities, Design and Media, Social Sciences, Engineering, Basic Sciences, Medical and Allied Health Sciences, Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences, Computer Science, Emerging Technologies, Water Resources, and Energy.

The grants are offered for a maximum period of 4-5 years. The scholarship covers living expenses and return airfare. It does not cover tuition fees. Candidates of the scholarship need to secure admission with a complete tuition fee waiver from a university among the selected top 235 US Universities, or from a university falling under any of the 23 University Systems mentioned on the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor segment of the HEC website.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has negotiated tuition fee waivers for Pakistani students, with different ranked US universities. HEC shall refer potential candidates – who meet the basic eligibility criteria for award of HEC scholarships – to partnering US universities, for consideration of admission and tuition fee waiver. Candidates selected by the hosting US universities after satisfying respective admission criteria shall be offered HEC scholarship under the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor project.

Pakistani citizens with a strong academic history and are committed to returning and serving Pakistan, are encouraged to apply for the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD Scholarship. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, you must:

Be a Pakistan/AJK national

Have an MS/M.Phil. degree (18 years of education) from HEC recognized universities

Have a 4-years Bachelor degree (16 years of education), eligible for direct admission in PhD programs at any US university

Be aged not more than 40 years for regular faculty and researchers of public sector universities / R&D organizations, and not more than 35 years for all others

Have acquired valid and acceptable GRE and TOEFL scores required for admission in US universities

Be committed to serve universities / R&D organizations in Pakistan upon completion of your study at the US.

Scholars who have already secured admission or those enrolled in a PhD program in one of the top 235 US Universities or the 23 University Systems may also apply for the scholarship.

There are also academic criteria you need to meet to be eligible for the scholarship:

Academic merit based on HEC-AEF calculator will be applicable

Have a maximum of 2 Second Divisions

Have no 3rd Division or grade D in your career

Not less than 50% marks in academic career

You can apply online for the scholarship through http://eportal.hec.gov.pk/US-pakcorridor. HEC attested documents are not required in the application. Only send the printout of duly signed online application form to:

Project Management Unit (PMU)

US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor

Higher Education Commission

Sector H-8, Islamabad

Hard copies of the pre-requite documents will be required after initial shortlisting and PMU HEC will intimate successful candidates accordingly.

As a successful candidate, you will be required to sign a contract or bond with HEC that binds you to return to Pakistan immediately after the completion of your study at the US, and serve the country for the number of years specified in the agreement. No grantee will be required to pay anything as long as they fulfil their contractual/bond obligation.

OGDCL Need Based Scholarships Program through HEC

Higher Education Commission in partnership with Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) offers scholarships for destitute students to study in an undergraduate or graduate program, in one of the following fields: Engineering, Business Administration, Law, Archaeology, Defense and Strategic Studies, Gender Studies, History, Sociology, Animal Sciences, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Electronics, Physics, Mathematics, Information and Technology, Pak Studies.

The program is consistent with HEC’s goals to support financially deserving students, widen access to quality education, and encourage academic interest in fields that are vital to Pakistan’s Economic Development. The program has specially been designed to benefit the students belonging from OGDCL’s operational/concessional districts. It is established to enable students of operational and concessional areas of OGDCL, who are academically qualified and are in need of financial support, to pursue higher education at selected public sectors universities of Pakistan.

Below is a list of partner universities in the program.

The Baluchistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Baluchistan

University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Khuzdar, Baluschistan

University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore

University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila

Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro

Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology (QUEST) Nawabshah

University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar

Islamic International University Islamabad (IIUI)

Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad (QAU)

The scholarship covers tuition fees and lodging (where applicable). However, both tuition fees and lodging amounts vary for each university as per actual costs.

In order to be eligible for the scholarship and financial assistance, you must be a Pakistani belonging to operational and concessional districts of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL). You need to compete for securing admission in the approved disciplines at the participating institutions as per admission policy of the institution and be enrolled in undergraduate (3 or 4 years) and graduate (2 years) programs. Only those who are enrolled in first semester/professional year in the respective courses offered by the participating institutions are eligible to apply.

If you are eligible, you can apply for the OGDCL Need Based Scholarships through HEC. You can download the application form on the scholarship’s page on the HEC website. Complete the application form and submit it along with supporting documents to the Financial Aid Office of university/university for which the online application is submitted. Please note that you will be to be admitted in any one of the approved disciplines at a participating university/institution as per your admission criteria for the scholarship.